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Come Together: African Universities Collaborate to Improve Bandwidth 2005-12
African universities pay dramatically more for Internet access than comparable institutions on other continents. To help increase the flow of information, participants at the Conference on African Research and Education Networking and Infrastructure, held 14 and 15 November 2005 in Tunisia, developed a multifaceted approach for collaboration.
“How Will It Help Veronica?…” 2005-12
During my trip to Uganda, one individual stayed with me throughout my travels, so much so, that “How will it help Veronica?” became a mantra for the trip. — ICT4D Director, Richard Fuchs.
Onno the Liberator 2005-10-18
Onno Purbo has been described as an Internet activist, an information and communication technology (ICT) evangelist, and now liberator. His mission: to transform Indonesia into a knowledge-based society and its people into knowledge producers by tirelessly promoting low-cost, build-your-own, community-based ICT networks.
Work in Progress — Rural Pondicherry's Wireless Internet 2005-10-06
An award winning project to provide high-speed wireless telephone and Internet access to villagers in southern India has also wrought social change in the past five years. As the M.S. Swaminathan Research Foundation is discovering, new information can change lives.
Un Robin Hood de la Era Digital 2003-11-17
La Red de Informaciones para el Tercer Sector (Rede de informações para o terceiro setor, RITS), una organización sin fines de lucro con sede en Río de Janeiro, Brasil, ha estado trabajando desde 1997 para poner a disposición de los sectores más pobres de la población la tecnología informática y sus poderosas herramientas de comunicación. También se propone modernizar las organizaciones de la sociedad civil y capacitarlas para compartir información ampliamente. Los medios para lograr estas metas son un portal, una revista y un directorio de organizaciones en Internet.
Las Reglas de Heredia: un camino nuevo para proteger la privacidad en la información judicial publicada en Internet 2004-11-19
Algo que para muchos abogados es de gran utilidad resulta ser una desventaja para algunas personas en América Latina. Hoy en día, las sentencias judiciales se publican completas en Internet, lo que permite un fácil acceso a ellas y ayuda a abrir el sistema judicial en América Latina. El problema es que así también terminan publicados en Internet datos sensibles sobre la vida privada de la gente. Para atender esta cuestión, se reunieron en Heredia, Costa Rica, investigadores, jueces y representantes de la sociedad civil y del sector privado, con el fin de elaborar pautas voluntarias que puedan seguir los organismos judiciales de la región cuando difundan información en Internet. Conocidas como las Reglas de Heredia, estas guías ayudan a lograr un equilibrio entre la transparencia judicial y la protección de la información personal.
Cultivating Research in a War-ravaged City 2005-09-12
The Kingtom Bomeh municipal dump site in Freetown, the capital of Sierra Leone, is a post-apocalyptic landscape. But amid the skeletons of rusted-out cars and piles of burning trash Yebu Sesay is expanding her vegetable garden. Researchers supported by IDRC are now studying urban agriculture practices in Freetown. The goal: improve sustainability and productivity.
Tecnología y lenguaje: Aprendiendo a decir ratón en k'iche' 2005-08
Miles de niños y niñas en las tierras altas de Guatemala están usando computadores para aprender a leer y escribir en k'iche' -su lengua maya nativa-, gracias a la visión de una ONG local que se apoya en la tecnología educativa para desarrollar la educación intercultural bilingüe.
Reflections on Water: An Interview with Margaret Catley-Carlson 2005-08
In an effort to demystify the water "problem," IDRC Bulletin speaks with IDRC governor Margaret Catley-Carlson who has been working in the area of water for 20 years, most recently as Chair of the Global Water Partnership and member of the World Water Commission.
Greywater Turns to Gold: Treatment Units to Help Low-income Households in Jordan 2005-07
In Jordan, the demand for freshwater already exceeds the supply. With no new sources to tap, Jordanians must find ways to reduce their demand and make better use of existing supplies.
Learning Lessons from Traditional Leaders in Ghana 2005-06-06
In Ghana, traditional leaders are at the forefront in the struggle against HIV/AIDS. Chiefs and queen mothers are regaining their authority and assuming active roles as partners in development, working to alleviate the social, economic, and health consequences of AIDS in their communities.
Global Approaches to Urban Wastewater Use in Irrigated Agriculture 2005-05-27
Although a common and often ancient practice, the use of urban wastewater — often untreated or inadequately treated — in irrigated agriculture is receiving fresh attention because of the increasing scarcity of clean water resources and the growing volumes of urban wastewater in developing countries. It is estimated that more than 20 million hectares in 50 countries are currently irrigated with urban wastewater and up to one-tenth of the world’s population eats food produced using wastewater. A major concern raised by all contributors to a new book, Wastewater Use in Irrigated Agriculture: Confronting the Livelihood and Environmental Realities, is the need to balance the public health impacts on consumers with that of farmers to increase their livelihoods by using wastewater to grow crops. Case studies demonstrate the wide range of wastewater use practices.
Addressing Barriers to Empowering Women: A South Asian Perspective 2005-05-13
Ten years after the UN’s World Conference on Women in Beijing, women’s movements around the world have made progress in securing women’s basic human rights. However, notes Ratna Kapur, Director of the Centre for Feminist Legal Research in New Delhi, violence against women remains an enormous problem.
Building a Fisheries Research Network 2005-04-04
In the early 1980s, the fishing industry in many Southeast Asian countries was in serious trouble. At the same time, much of the scientific research being carried out on these issues was primarily biological in nature, even while people were starting to recognize that the real solutions were social, economic, political, and institutional in nature. The Asian Fisheries Social Science Research Network (AFSSRN) was launched to address this issue. As a result, nowadays social scientists and economists also study the fishers as well as the fish. Their recommendations are proving very useful to policymakers in Southeast Asia as they seek to ensure sustainable management of the regions fishing grounds.
Engendering Macroeconomic Policies 2005-03-07
Is macroeconomic analysis gender-neutral? Many economists and others think not. Nilufer Cagatay is helping to train senior economists to consider gender in their approach to macroeconomics and international economic policy.
Brain Drain and Capacity Building in Africa 2005-02-22
“In 25 years, Africa will be empty of brains.” That dire warning, from Dr Lalla Ben Barka of the UN Economic Commission for Africa (ECA), reflects the growing alarm over Africa’s increasing exodus of human capital. Data on brain drain in Africa is scarce and inconsistent; however, statistics show a continent losing the very people it needs most for economic, social, scientific, and technological progress.
Development Takes on a Face and an Address in the Philippines 2005-02-01
Born out of frustration with the Philippines’ lackluster performance in reducing poverty, the Community-based [poverty] Monitoring System network aims to provide policymakers and program staff with a good information base for tracking the impacts of macroeconomic reforms and various policy shocks.
La guerrera colombiana del computador portátil: Conectividad para la paz y el progreso 2003-11-17
Vilma Almendra, una indígena de Colombia, forma parte de un creciente movimiento que busca usar las comunicaciones por internet como antídoto de la violencia contra los pueblos indígenas. Ella sostiene que las tecnologías de la información y la comunicación (TICs) están jugando un papel clave en la denuncia de las violaciones de los derechos humanos en Colombia. El servicio comunitario de información que ella coordina ayuda además a otras comunidades indígenas a llevar adelante su propio desarrollo social y económico, por ejemplo, a través de programas para mejorar la educación, la salud, el manejo de las tierras y la protección legal de los indígenas.
El sistema judicial de Guatemala en tela de juicio 2004-12-03
Hace dos años, el esposo de Isabel, borracho y furioso, mató a la empleada doméstica. A la mañana siguiente confesó ser autor del crimen, pero la policía ya había acusado a su esposa. Isabel fue condenada a 25 años de prisión. Su abogado prefirió no apelar por temor a que le aumentaran la condena. Éste es uno de los casos documentados por investigadores del Instituto de Estudios Comparados en Ciencias Penales de Guatemala (ICCPG) que actúan como catalizadores del seguimiento del sector judicial que hace la sociedad civil de Guatemala. Los investigadores reúnen a funcionarios judiciales (jueces, abogados defensores, fiscales), defensores de los derechos humanos y expertos de otros países de América Latina para vigilar el funcionamiento del sistema de justicia penal guatemalteco.
Palestinian Researchers Apply Evaluation Lessons to Land Use Project 2004-11-04
The Palestinian people face the triple challenge of negotiating a just peace, building a viable state, and laying the foundations for sustainable development — all under adverse conditions. Over the past two years, researchers from the Applied Research Institute-Jerusalem (ARIJ) have attended the International Program for Development Evaluation Training (IPDET) in Ottawa. The training has provided triple benefits, strengthening research in land use, building evaluation capacity within ARIJ, and planting the seeds for an evaluation network involving Middle Eastern countries.
Aprendiendo en línea y en el trabajo en México 2004-10-21
En 1993, el gobierno mexicano emprendió un ambicioso programa para reformar la administración pública. El objetivo: construir un servicio público profesional, estable y no partidista. Parte de sus esfuerzos se concentran en ofrecer cursos de capacitación a los empleados públicos en áreas técnicas, buen gobierno y gestión. Los cursos serán impartidos en línea, por medio del nuevo portal @Campus México que se inauguró el 20 de octubre. En la conformación de este portal destinado a propiciar mejoras en la administración pública, Canadá contribuyó aportando su experiencia en Internet, tecnologías basadas en la Web y aprendizaje en línea. El Instituto para la Conectividad en las Américas (ICA) y el Centro Internacional de Investigaciones para el Desarrollo (IDRC) apoyaron el desarrollo de @Campus México.
Casting CurriculumNet Wider 2004-09-20
An Internet-based learning project in Uganda is bearing fruit — and may soon send new shoots south, to Rwanda. In March 2004, Kiddhu Makubuya, Uganda’s Minister for Education and Sports, and Professor Romain Murenzi, Rwanda’s Minister for Education, Science, Technology, and Scientific Research, headed a delegation to see the launch and demonstration of CurriculumNet’s content and materials at Uganda’s National Curriculum Development Centre (NCDC) in Kampala. CurriculumNet is using information and communication technologies (ICTs) to provide instructors with multi-media materials they can use to teach their classes.
Taming the Wounded Lion: Transforming Security Forces in West Africa 2004-09-07
Coups and conflict have been a sad part of life for millions of West Africans over the past four decades. With the arrival of fragile democracies, new civilian governments are replacing military rule but often the two parties do not know how to talk to each other. The Centre for Democracy and Development (CDD), a nongovernmental organization that aims to promote the values of democracy, peace, and human rights in Africa, has just published a 176-page handbook on security sector transformation. The Governance in the Security Sector Handbook is designed to provide military, government, and civil society throughout Africa with a holistic tool to analyze and choose alternatives.
Liquid Manna? Treating Urban Wastewater for Local Gardening 2004-08-13
Researchers in Senegal have been experimenting with a biological method of treating water that involves lagoons and pista stratiotes, otherwise known as water lettuce. The resulting water is safer to use for agriculture, flower growing, composting of household refuse, or for watering tree nurseries. It is proving to be “liquid manna” for urban farmers in two poor neighbourhoods on the outskirts of Dakar.
Trade Liberalization: Poverty’s friend or foe? 2004-07-30
Freer trade is supposed to be good for economic growth but does it do anything to reduce poverty? An eight-country study sheds light on the effects of liberalized trade on the poor and provides policymakers with a tool to help them extend the benefits from liberalized trade more broadly.
A Better Brew: Toward a sustainable coffee industry 2004-07-30
The global coffee industry is in freefall, imperilling the livelihoods of millions of farm families. An initiative to use market forces to make coffee supply chains more sustainable holds promise for small-scale coffee producers and other commodity markets.
A Business Case for Social Responsibility in Mining Operations 2004-07-09
The mining firm that wins the auction to develop the Las Bambas copper deposit in Peru (slated to be chosen on 23 July) had “better be prepared to show the families [living there], the community, the neighbouring communities, and the country that the net impact of that mine's life — from exploration to post-closure — is positive for them, for their environment, and for their economy,” warned Paul A. Warner, director of Community Relations and Institutional Affairs for giant Australian mining company BHP Billiton.
Making Mining Work: Bringing poverty-stricken, small-scale miners into the formal private sector 2004-07-09
Digging for precious minerals in precarious, often unhealthy conditions, without safety equipment, proper tools, or recognition from the state is a way of life for about 13 million of the world’s poorest people engaged in artisanal and small-scale mining (ASM). Ten years ago, governments and multilateral institutions operated in the hope that ASM would disappear, but it is now painfully clear that ASM is a reality that must be faced head-on, according to Mining Policy Research Initiative (MPRI) director Cristina Echavarría.
Happiness and Progress: Measuring Human Wellbeing in Bhutan and Canada 2004-06-17
The country of Bhutan wants to safeguard its social values by entrenching them in terms that the wider world can understand and respect, that is to say, in new measures of progress. The country is following through on the 1972 declaration made by His Majesty King Jigme Singye Wangchuck: “Gross National Happiness is more important than Gross National Product.” To this end, the Bhutanese are striving to develop a comprehensive set of social, environmental, and health indicators that can accurately represent human wellbeing.
Solving the Water Crisis: Increase Supplies or Improve Management? 2004-06-03
Los sistemas centralizados y en gran escala de manejo del agua ya han agotado su potencial en muchas regiones y no pueden ofrecer más. No quedan grandes ríos donde construir embalses; los acuíferos están sometidos a sobreexplotación; vastos sistemas de riego han alcanzado el límite. El precio de los proyectos de ingeniería es cada vez más alto y con frecuencia causan un daño intolerable al medio ambiente. Además, a menudo la gente opone resistencia a esos proyectos, los que ven con justificado recelo. La segunda opción —manejar mejor el agua de que se dispone actualmente— encierra una mayor promesa. Treinta años de investigación efectuada en los países en desarrollo muestran que el manejo local o a nivel de comunidad podría desempeñar un papel importante en los esfuerzos por abastecer de agua limpia a todos.
Using Video to Settle Land Disputes in Lebanon 2004-04-30
In Lebanon’s sparsely settled highlands, a long-time Arab method for settling disputes has taken a decidedly technological twist, as video cameras help the traditional majlis council structure do its work. The cameras helped facilitate dialogue between groups embroiled in a longstanding land dispute in Arsaal — an important step for developing a workable approach to managing the region’s fragile natural resources.
The Challenge of Achieving Health Equity in Africa 2004-04-07
Equity in health implies addressing differences in health status that are unnecessary, avoidable, and unfair, says the Regional Network for Equity in Health in Southern Africa (EQUINET). The network addresses three dimensions of equity: in access to health resources, access to social and economic resources, and access to power. It does so by sharing information and by carrying out research. The goal is to build regional capacity and foster equitable health policies. This work is crucial, says EQUINET coordinator Dr Rene Loewenson, as inequities are increasing in Africa.
Applying Lessons in Evaluation 2004-02-26
IDRC sponsored 11 people from organizations in Palestine, Jamaica, Senegal, Mexico, Ecuador, and Uruguay to attend the third annual International Program for Development Evaluation Training (IPDET) in Ottawa. Researchers are now applying the skills they learned to their work in the field. Hosted by the World Bank’s Operations Evaluation Department and Carleton University’s Faculty of Public Affairs and Management, IPDET attracted 187 participants from 57 developed and developing countries — an increase of 15% from the previous year.
Biodiversity and Health: Are we killing the plants that can cure? 2004-02-13
In October 2003, scientists, researchers, pharmacists, traditional healers, policymakers, and representatives of the academic and business worlds met in Ottawa, Canada, to take part in an International Symposium on Biodiversity and Health. It was the first time such a disparate group from both North and South came together to examine issues surrounding the use and conservation of medicinal plants and the practice of traditional medicine. What follows is a summary of the presentations and discussions at the three-day symposium.
Kenyan Farmers Discover the Internet 2004-01-29
A project called DrumNet in Kenya brings hope to rural farmers who have long been exploited by brokers and resellers. The smallholder producers can now depend on DrumNet's services to track market prices and make better-informed decisions about the sale of their produce. Additional services are planned to help improve farmers' productivity and incomes.
Urban Agriculture Reaches New Heights Through Rooftop Gardening 2004-01-22
A form of urban gardening increasingly practiced by some of the world’s poorest farmers is being adapted to the rooftops of Montreal. The Canadian development organization Alternatives, working with Mexican and Moroccan researchers, is developing a simplified hydroponics system, using recycled materials, organic inputs, and manual labour to produce crops. The technique uses as little as 10% of the water needed for conventional gardening, helps clean air and groundwater, and saves energy normally used to transport food from rural to urban areas.
Digital Solidarity, Key to Africa’s Development — Interview with Mr Abdoulaye Wade, President of Senegal 2003-12-11
In Dakar, on December 2, 2003, His Excellency Mr Abdoulaye Wade, President of the Republic of Senegal, accorded Senegalese journalist Mame Less Camara an exclusive interview on behalf of the International Development Research Centre (IDRC). Mr Wade is coordinator of the information and communication technologies (ICTs) aspect of the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD). The interview took place on the eve of the United Nations World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS), held December 9 to 12. President Wade considers the new technologies one of NEPAD’s eight priority sectors. In fact, he says, the new technologies “have shown the way for giving concrete application to NEPAD in partnership with developed countries.”
Food Security — Seeds of Threat, Seeds of Solutions 2003-11-27
Over the past few decades, plant breeders have developed new high-yielding cereal varieties. This very success, however, could lead to a gradual loss of plant species, threatening the world’s future food security. Only the help of small farmers in remote areas of the world who have benefited little if at all from the advances in plant breeding can overcome this threat.
India Mainstreams Medicinal Plants 2004-01-08
A new Indian government program to bring medicinal plants into the country’s medical and livelihood mainstreams should put money into the pockets of the villagers who collect them, while making the plants safer to use. The effort marks a shift away from viewing India’s forests as timber stock, to seeing them as sources for a medicinal plant industry.
In Conversation: Venàncio Massingue 2003-11-17
A pioneer of the digital age in Africa, Dr Venàncio Massingue, Vice-Rector of the University Eduardo Mondlane (UEM), was a key player in bringing the Internet to Mozambique. From 1996 to 1998 he masterminded the development of the Mozambique ICT Policy and ICT Strategy that were approved by the Cabinet in 2000 and 2002 respectively. He emphasizes and supports the role of young people in his goal of making Mozambique a producer, not just a consumer, of information and communication technologies (ICTs). Dr Massingue spoke to IDRC Reports about his experience and the role of ICTs in development.
Resource Management Goes Wireless in Mozambique 2003-11-17
Mozambique’s forest wardens and wildlife scouts have a new tool with which to fight illegal loggers and poachers: wireless radio telephones. The phones are also helping to break their isolation. In addition, research supported by Canada’s International Development Research Centre (IDRC) is showing that the radios help to enlist villagers to the cause of sound resource management. Local and provincial governments profit in turn from the additional fines levied on illegal loggers.
Computadores Reviven en las Escuelas de Colombia 2003-11-17
Computadores donados a las escuelas de Colombia hacen mucho más interesante el aprendizaje de más de 750.000 alumnos y permiten a estudiantes de la enseñanza técnica obtener una valiosa experiencia laboral. El programa, similar al canadiense del mismo nombre: Computadores para Educar, también instruye a los maestros en el uso de los ordenadores y de Internet como herramientas educativas. Un elemento clave para el éxito del proyecto --apoyado por el Instituto para la Conectividad en las Américas-- es la voluntad política: Computadores para Educar tiene respaldo presidencial.
Todos ganan con Somos@Telecentros 2003-11-17
Los telecentros --espacios comunitarios de acceso a Internet-- pueden ayudar a grupos marginados de la sociedad a usar Internet para organizarse e influir sobre una visión más amplia de las políticas nacionales, normativas y problemas de derechos humanos que los afectan. Esta es la experiencia de la red Somos@Telecentros en Ecuador, lanzada en 1999 como una manera de construir comunidades regionales y nacionales a través de Internet. Hoy en día cuenta con alrededor de 1.750 miembros en ocho países que comparten experiencias y recursos. La red también les ayuda a generar una voz colectiva que fortalece su participación y su influencia en la discusión y la formulación de políticas públicas de mayor amplitud.
The Best Policy: Telcom Research from an African Perspective 2003-11-17
Information and communication technologies (ICTS) offer tantalizing possibilities for supporting — even hastening — Africa's economic and social development. Whether or not this potential is reached depends to a great extent on telecommunications policies. These policies cannot simply be imported: they must be based on an understanding of African realities. The aim of the Learning Information Networking Knowledge (LINK) Centre is to promote "made in Africa" research that will contribute to a "made in Africa" information revolution.
What Determines ICT Access in the Philippines? 2003-11-17
As an archipelago of 7000 islands, the Philippines faces major communication challenges. The country also has pressing development needs. The government has introduced several policies to broaden people's access to information and communication technologies (ICTs) as a way to meet these needs. But Erwin Alamapy found that even though people are close to ICTs, they don't always use them. His research project set out to find out why, and what could be done to encourage the use of new technologies.
A Cyber Shepherd at Work in the Sahel 2003-11-17
How can the pastoralists in the Sahel be helped to adopt more productive livestock management practices and to protect pastures that are threatened by drought and overgrazing? African researchers addressing this question have come up with an innovative answer — putting new information and communication technologies (ICTs) to work for herders. One result: a Web site named "cyber shepherd."
Telecentres: From Idea to Reality in Mozambique 2003-11-17
What should a telecentre look like? In Mozambique, researchers from the University Eduardo Mondlane turned to the community for an answer. The result was a one-stop shop with everything from telephones and photocopying services to computer training. The project is having spillover effects as women's organizations avail themselves of some of the services offered. But although the telecentres are valued by the communities, their future remains uncertain due to the high cost of Internet and the need to become self-sustainable.
Tools for Educational Change 2003-11-17
SchoolNet Mozambique is a nationwide network to enhance learning opportunities for students, teachers, and the surrounding community via the Internet. Decision makers have high hopes that it can redress some of the problems endemic to Mozambique's education system, such as inequity in access to education, especially between urban and rural dwellers. Supported by the International Development Research Centre (IDRC), SchoolNet is also seen as a way to prepare Mozambican students for work in the Global Information Society. Ultimately, however, SchoolNet may be the catalyst for systemic change in the way teachers teach and students learn.
Laos: A Final Frontier for ICTs 2003-11-17
A report by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) on "e readiness," published in 2001, outlines many problems that limit the use of information and communication technologies (ICTs) for development in Laos. These include limited infrastructure and a lack of ICT knowledge. A project on building digital links, supported by the International Development Research Centre (IDRC), is helping to build capacity within the government and at the community level to meet Laos' ICT needs.
New Wireless Network for Uganda's Healthcare Workers 2003-11-17
The introduction of cellular telephony has revolutionized Uganda's communication industry, increasing national teledensity by 350% since the first network went live in early 1995. Now the networks that brought remote villages their first voice connectivity are opening new doors for the delivery of health care.
In Conversation: Shafika Isaacs on Transforming Education in Africa 2003-11-17
Shafika Isaacs is executive director of SchoolNet Africa. An African nongovernmental organization (NGO), SchoolNet Africa uses information and communication technologies (ICTs) in schools to improve the quality, accessibility, and efficiency of education. It works with learners, teachers, policymakers, and practitioners, largely through national schoolnet organizations. Isaacs spoke to Reports magazine about her vision for using ICTs to fundamentally change Africa's education system. Africa is experiencing an education crisis because of the large number of children who lack access to good quality, basic education.
Boosting Tourism in South Africa’s Townships 2003-11-17
Cape Town is one of Africa's top tourist meccas as visitors come to enjoy the natural beauty of Table Mountain, the wine lands and white sandy beaches. But Cape Town is a tale of two cities. Not far from the modern skyscrapers and first world luxuries, lie the sprawling, impoverished townships of the Cape Flats. Townships are not just about poverty, though, as foreign tourists are learning. They are communities rich in cultural and ethnic heritages; and for those looking for something a little different, largely undiscovered. As part of a research project undertaken by the University of the Western Cape, the International Development Research Centre (IDRC) is assessing the impact of information and communication technologies (ICTs) on small, medium, and micro enterprises and how these could be incorporated into the burgeoning tourism industry in the Cape Flats.
Making Plans for Success — The Tanzania Essential Health Interventions Project 2003-10-30
Fewer children are dying in Morogoro District in Tanzania — the result of significant improvements in local health care. Morogoro is one of two districts that are the testing ground for the Tanzania Essential Health Interventions Project (TEHIP). This research and development partnership between the International Development Research Centre (IDRC) and the Tanzania Ministry of Health has been piloting innovations in health planning, priority setting, and resource allocation. As the successful project comes to an end, the Tanzanian government is now taking steps to apply TEHIP’s lessons to the rest of the country.
Turning the Tide of Violence in South Africa 2003-10-23
The root cause of violence in South Africa has not changed much since the apartheid era. According to the Johannesburg-based Centre for the Study of Violence and Reconciliation (CSVR), South Africa’s current high rate of violent crime is just as related to economic and social marginalization as it was during the 1980s. In an effort to develop strategies to turn the tide of violence, CSVR has been analyzing the causes, extent, and the sustained pattern of violence in South Africa as it moved to democracy.
Seeds of Survival 2003-10-02
In what was dubbed a farmer-to-farmer dialogue, a group of South Asian small-scale farmers from Bangladesh, India, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka shared their experiences and the challenges they face with Canadian organic farmers from British Columbia, Manitoba, Quebec, and Saskatchewan. The 10-day program of tours of organic farms, presentations, and a workshop culminated in the drafting of an alternative vision for the future of agriculture.
In Conversation: Carol Weiss and Evert Lindquist on Policymaking and Research 2003-09-11
It seems logical to suggest that public policies would be better constructed if policymakers had access to the best research. Yet all too often, researchers and policymakers inhabit separate spheres — the work of the two does not connect. These are the views of Professor Carol Weiss of Harvard University and Professor Evert Lindquist of the University of Victoria. Professor Weiss has written 11 books and over 100 articles on evaluation and public policy research and ran Harvard's postdoctoral program on evaluation. Professor Lindquist is director of the University of Victoria's School of Public Administration and has written extensively on the machinery of government and policy-making, policy communities and networks, and the role of think tanks.
From Forests to Fields in Côte d’Ivoire 2003-08-12
What happens when policies and programs to promote economic growth unexpectedly wreak havoc with the environment and people’s health? In Côte d’Ivoire, researchers are looking at ways to reduce the harmful health impacts of unbridled agricultural development and of a large hydroelectric dam. But rather than focusing on health services, they are trying to improve people’s health by better managing the local resource base.
Controlando la polución del aire en Ciudad de México 2003-08-12
Ubicada en el cráter de un volcán extinto, Ciudad de México — una de las ciudades más grandes del mundo — ha tenido un éxito limitado en la batalla por controlar la polución del aire. Una nueva comprensión de los impactos de esta contaminación en la salud — y del rol de la población tanto en la generación del problema como en su solución — pueden conducir a diseñar programas más efectivos para el control de la contaminación del aire.
Una Oportunidad de Oro para Mejorar la Salud 2003-08-12
Gold has been mined for centuries in the hills of southwestern Ecuador. Today, the mining is small scale but the problems it brings are large — unsafe conditions, environmental contamination, and harm to human health. Researchers are studying the impact of mining activities in several communities along the Puyango River. They have found that the effects extend beyond the immediate area to farming families living downstream. Two communities are now taking steps to address the problem.
Cause and Solution: A New Perspective on Malaria and Agriculture 2003-08-12
Malaria is thought to have emerged as a virulant disease at the same time as the early practice of agriculture — about 7,000 years ago. Today, a project by the International Development Research Centre (IDRC) is taking a new look at the links between agriculture and malaria. The goal is to reduce the incidence of the disease.
Healthy Collaboration Cleans up Kathmandu 2003-08-12
An entrenched system of social organization, environmental degradation, and poverty have conspired to create a public health crisis in Kathmandu. Waterborne and helminthic diseases are rampant, as are respiratory and digestive illnesses. But the situation is improving dramatically for the city's poor, thanks to a unique collaboration between Nepalese and Canadian researchers and the work of a local nongovernmental organization.
Gender Researcher Seeks Answers on South African Campuses 2003-07-21
In South Africa, post-secondary education is one of only a few tickets to upward mobility, and students endure enormous economic and personal pressures to graduate. Succeeding on campus means facing powerfully entrenched ideas tied to gender and heterosexuality, according to Dr Jane Bennett, gender researcher and director of the African Gender Institute, based at the University of Cape Town. She’s urging much more work be undertaken on gender equity and gender violence in a specifically African context.
El Círculo de la Vida: la Agricultura Orgánica en México 2003-07-04
Cada dos semanas en Guadalajara, estado de Jalisco, México, una media docena de productores agrícolas vende alimentos y productos de limpieza doméstica orgánicos en un minúsculo mercado comunitario, instalado en el terreno de uno de los participantes. El mercado está basado en los tianguis del antiguo México, mercados indígenas donde la gente intercambiaba alimentos e ideas. Es una forma de crear un vínculo directo entre los agricultores que producen vegetales, leche, carne y huevos orgánicos, y sus compradores.
Improving Morocco’s olive industry, from harvest to waste disposal 2003-05-16
Simple techniques and appropriate technologies developed at Morocco’s Institut Agricole et Vétérinaire Hassan II could solve two major problems facing Morocco’s olive oil industry: how to improve processing and produce higher quality oil, and how to dispose of polluting wastes. At the same time, they can yield animal feeds and natural aromas for the food and pharmaceutical industries. These new developments could contribute to a sustainable source of income and employment in rural areas, as well as help achieve Morocco’s national plan to expand and improve the olive industry.
La Recolección de Niebla en El Tofo 2003-05-02
A comienzos de los años 90, los medios de información internacionales se deslumbraron ante un pequeño poblado del norte de Chile que estaba usando una nueva y creativa tecnología para obtener el suministro básico de agua de la niebla. La tecnología funcionó bien y el mayor suministro de agua ayudó a transformar el poblado pero, más de 10 años después, el sistema de mallas de los colectores de niebla está totalmente fuera de servicio. ¿Porqué la comunidad abandonó el proyecto que le había aportado agua en abundancia y grandes esperanzas de futuro? Y ¿qué lecciones pueden extraerse de la experiencia de El Tofo?
Protecting Mongolia’s grassland steppes 2003-04-04
Overgrazing and global climate changes, along with political upheavals, are causing serious ecological problems in the windy grassland steppes of Mongolia — and threatening the livelihood of more than half the population who make a living herding livestock. A research project is currently underway which aims to help communities manage their grasslands and natural resources sustainably by working directly with those most affected. The project is examining issues such as herd mobility versus continuous grazing on the same pastureland; the shift from state control to a market-oriented system; and the privatization of resources such as land.
Manejo del agua en las montañas de los Andes ecuatorianos 2003-03-21
En los países de los Andes septentrionales se encuentra un ecosistema único, conocido con el nombre de páramo, que comienza a 5,000 m al borde de los glaciares que cubren las montañas y se extiende montaña abajo por unos 3,600 m. Los canales de riego traen agua desde el páramo hasta las poblaciones que viven abajo, práctica que no ha cambiado desde hace siglos. Y sin embargo, quizás por tratarse de una ubicación remota, el páramo es uno de los ecosistemas menos entendidos de la región. Sólo por el hecho de que las fuentes de agua de los países andinos siguen secándose es que la atención empieza a volcarse hacia esa fuente de abastecimiento de agua a gran altura.
Scholarship Fund for Palestinian Refugee Women 2003-01-24
Palestinian women refugees are getting a chance to go to university — and are studying subjects traditionally dominated by men — as a result of a scholarship program supported by the International Development Research Centre (IDRC).
In Conversation: Celia Reyes on the Importance of Timely Economic Information 2002-12-23
Reyes is Senior Research Fellow at the Philippine Institute for Development Studies. One of her major research areas is poverty — in particular, assessing the impact of policies and programs on poverty and equity.
From Research to Policy in Bangladesh 2002-12-23
The link between research and policy is sometimes tenuous. But it is not necessarily so in Bangladesh where researchers from the International Development Research Centre's (IDRC) Micro Impacts of Macroeconomic and Adjustment Policies (MIMAP) program have been working closely with government since the project’s inception in 1992. Ten years later, the research has yielded substantial improvements in the monitoring of poverty, and the poverty monitoring surveys have emerged as a prime source of information, with wide policy implications.
Giving the Poor a Voice 2002-12-23
The fight against poverty is fraught with uncertainties. Even the very definition of poverty is elusive: its manifestations and causes vary from country to country; its magnitude fluctuates according to the social and economic context. How to explain why in India, for instance, poverty is high although unemployment is low while the inverse is true in Morocco — or at least, poverty there is not as blatant? And why is it too often true that economic growth in poor countries has done little to reduce poverty — and may in fact have exacerbated it?
These are some of the fundamental questions a network of researchers from 12 Asian and African countries has been grappling with. Members of the Poverty and Economic Policy (PEP) Network of IDRC’s Micro Impacts of Macroeconomic and Adjustment Policies (MIMAP) program, they met in Rabat, Morocco and Québec City in 2002 to share insights gained through their studies.
Wi-Fi: A New Bridge for the Digital Divide? 2002-11-22
Connecting to the Internet using a simple aluminum antenna and a wireless network card could be the best way to narrow Indonesia's digital divide and bolster economic development, says Dr Onno Purbo. The Jakarta-based expert on information and communication technologies (ICTs) was recently at the International Development Research Centre’s (IDRC) headquarters to talk about his vision.
Vital Statistics 2002-11-14
Collecting data in the slums of Nairobi, Kenya can be a dangerous job. Household enumerators who work with the African Population and Health Research Center’s (APHRC) demographic surveillance system (DSS) regularly risk being mugged and robbed by pickpockets. Yet they persist, for the information they gather is vital to efforts to improve the health of these poor communities.
Investigadora Amerindia da a Conocer Perspectivas Indígenas sobre Minería 2002-11-01
En Guyana y Colombia, al igual que en la mayoría de los países latinoamericanos, la minería creció enormemente durante las dos últimas décadas. Pero desde la contaminación de ríos saludables hasta el clima de inseguridad y violencia de los poblados mineros, pocos han sido tan afectados por el impacto adverso de la minería como las comunidades indígenas de estos países.
Coral Reefs in Thailand: Planning for the Future in a Fragile Paradise 2002-10-04
Since the 2000-release of the Hollywood film The Beach — which featured these Islands along with actor Leonardo DiCaprio — tourism is on the rise and the coral reefs in the Andaman Sea are taking a beating. But Udomsak Seenprachawong fears the economic gains from Phi Phi’s popularity will be short-lived — and the environmental pain irreparable.
Repensando un Modelo para la Paz en Guatemala 2002-09-20
La tierra es un tema contencioso en Guatemala y fue una causa fundamental de conflicto en la guerra civil que tuvo lugar durante 40 años en este país de Centroamérica, la cual concluyó en 1996. Con el propósito de ayudar a mejorar el sistema de reforma agraria, dos organizaciones no gubernamentales (ONGs) de Guatemala efectuaron investigaciones para identificar con precisión los problemas del actual sistema y sugerir alternativas.
La Vermicultura Mejora la Granja Urbana en Argentina 2002-08-26
Sectores de la población empobrecida de la tercera mayor ciudad de Argentina están avanzando en sus esfuerzos por desarrollar la agricultura en zonas urbanas utilizando lombrices rojas de California. La vermicultura (un método para compostar desechos de frutas y vegetales por medio de lombrices) está probando ser una forma económica y fácil de producir fertilizante orgánico de alta calidad. E incluso ayuda a mejorar el medio ambiente.
Improve the environment, improve health in Côte d’Ivoire 2002-08-16
In Côte d’Ivoire, researchers are looking at ways to reduce the harmful health impacts of unbridled agricultural development and of a large hydroelectric dam. But there’s a twist — rather than focusing on health services, they are trying to improve people’s health by better managing the local resource base. Their work is supported by Canada’s International Development Research Centre (IDRC). This is one of many innovative projects highlighted in a new Web site on IDRC’s contributions to sustainable and equitable development, launched to mark the World Summit on Sustainable Development (WSSD), from August 26 to September 4, 2002.
The E-Marketers of South India 2002-08-09
Last year, the Foundation of Occupational Development (FOOD India) established India Shop, an e-commerce site to generate income for artisans and the e-marketers who sell their work to online customers worldwide. India Shop became a reality as a result of a $60,000 research and development grant from the International Development Research Centre's (IDRC) Pan Asia Networking (PAN) program initiative.
Hidden Links: Irrigation, Malaria, and Gender 2002-07-19
Irrigation projects affect more than agricultural productivity, suggests an ecosystem study by IDRC Program Officer Renaud De Plaen. His results show how the transformation of farming practices and accompanying changes in the power relationships between men and women can affect women’s ability to deal with malaria in their families.
China’s Rural Transformation 2002-05-03
In travels through rural China spanning 20 years, Sam Ho witnessed dramatic changes as highways and factories spread to the countryside. Now the Canadian researcher is leading a major study into China’s rural transformation.
Décadas de Investigación sobre la Yuca dan su Fruto 2002-04-26
Entre la investigación y sus resultados puede haber un largo camino. Por su investigación pionera sobre la yuca, el Dr. Nagib Nassar, profesor de la Universidad de Brasilia, ha sido postulado varias veces para premios internacionales como el World Food Prize. Nassar recibió el primer apoyo para su trabajo del Centro Internacional de Investigaciones para el Desarrollo (IDRC), en el marco del programa de investigación del cultivo de la yuca de las décadas de 1970 y 1980.
In Conversation: David Brooks on Water Scarcity and Local-level Management 2002-03-15
No hay una varita mágica para manejar la escasez de agua que aqueja a muchos países, pero hay un aspecto que no ha sido suficientemente reconocido como parte de la solución: el manejo local del agua. Éste es el punto de vista de David Brooks, autor de Agua: Manejo a nivel local, libro reciente publicado por el IDRC.
Defendiendo la Biodiversidad y Estilos de Vida en el Bosque Panameño 2002-03-01
En el lugar donde se juntan la América del Sur y la Central crece un bosque que es una de las regiones ecológicamente más ricas del trópico americano. Los pueblos indígenas que lo habitan dependen de él para obtener sus alimentos, medicinas, materiales de construcción y mucho más. Pero partes de ese bosque están siendo extraídas por extraños, la presión sobre sus recursos naturales es creciente y los estilos de vida de sus pueblos indígenas están amenazados.
Enfrentando la Crisis del Agua en Cuba 2002-02-22
El último año, el suministro de agua alcanzó niveles críticos en Veguita de Galo, un barrio de Santiago de Cuba. Las dificultades económicas de Cuba han provocado un lento pero firme deterioro del suministro de agua y los servicios sanitarios, junto al aumento consiguiente de las enfermedades asociadas con el agua. Sin embargo, miembros de la comunidad resolvieron el problema tomando la situación en sus manos y usando filtros lentos de arena como sistema hogareño de tratamiento del agua.
In Conversation: Michael Quinn Patton 2002-02-08
Many development programs are evaluated to determine how effective and useful they are. But how effective and useful are the evaluations themselves? Internationally renowned evaluator, Michael Quinn Patton, recently came to the International Development Research Centre (IDRC) to discuss his approach for making sure evaluations are useful for decision-makers.
Divining Jordan's desert waters 2002-01-18
Researchers have discovered a system of shallow aquifers just below the surface of Jordan's badia that may provide a vital source of water for the semi-nomadic people who live there. What accounts for the unlikely presence of water a short distance below the surface of the desert? Mostly a quirk of the local geology.
Who Pays? Municipal Services in South Africa 2002-01-10
When South Africans discarded apartheid they overcame one of the world’s great problems. Now, they’re dealing with another — equitable water, electricity and waste disposal services. If this challenge seems relatively minor, consider the fact that poorly administered services and related cost recovery programs can affect the stability of national governments. They also have direct and serious consequences for children’s health.
Supporting Environmental Science in the Mideast 2001-12-14
Water purification is just one of the subjects studied by students in Jordan’s newly created graduate program in environmental science — a program that was established with the collaboration of Carleton University in Ottawa, Canada.
The changing face of inner-city Havana 2001-12-07
In inner-city Havana, Cuba, urban decay is a serious problem. But one neighbourhood stands out for having the country’s most successful community-led projects to revamp the urban scene.
Broadening the Benefits of Trade: The Latin American Trade Network 2001-11-30
When it comes to trade talks, many developing countries find themselves at a distinct disadvantage. In Latin America, an IDRC-supported research network is providing research developing countries can use to broaden the benefits of trade.
SIPAZ: Peace Journalism in Rural Colombia 2001-11-16
Violence has taken a devastating toll on Colombian culture and society. SIPAZ is part of a grassroots movement to counter the culture of violence.
Through Farmers' Eyes 2001-11-09
Using first-person stories and pictures taken by women farmers, the book Gender, Land, and Livelihoods in East Africa: Through Farmers' Eyes documents the lives of women in Western Kenya as they struggle to sustain their soils and their livelihoods. Through Farmers' Eyes provides links to an interview with the book's author, Ritu Verma, as well as a slide show, an audio file, and other online resources.
Protecting Mangrove Forests in Cambodia 2001-11-02
Some of the last remaining pristine mangrove forests in Southeast Asia are in Cambodia, but these are increasingly under threat. Replanting mangrove forests is one element in a community-based project to ensure the survival of Cambodia's mangrove forests.
Trading Diamonds for Guns 2001-10-22
Three researchers set out to show how 'conflict diamonds' were fuelling the brutal civil war in Sierra Leone. Their report, The Heart of the Matter: Sierra Leone, Diamonds and Human Security, has attracted worldwide attention since it was published last year and has contributed to major changes in the international diamond industry.
IN CONVERSATION: Robert Prescott-Allen on Measuring the Wellbeing of Nations 2001-10-12
The use of indicators to gauge human progress is common and well understood. Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and the Index of Leading Economic Indicators are two of the best-known examples. Yet, most of the widely cited indicators focus exclusively on economic activity, and even the most progressive of indicators fail to account for key issues of sustainability. The Wellbeing of Nations addresses these shortcomings by surveying 180 countries using the Wellbeing Assessment.
From hospitals to herbalists: Rx herbal medicines 2001-10-05
In Uganda, the rural population is as likely to consult a herbalist as a medical practitioner for common complaints. IDRC-supported research is helping healers prepare better, safer, and cheaper remedies.
Preserving the health of the Rio de la Plata 2001-09-28
An ambitious "virtual institution," is improving the management and conservation of the Rio de la Plata, South America's largest estuary.
South Africa's Winning Tobacco Control Strategy 2001-09-21
Cigarette consumption has fallen for eight consecutive years in South Africa while the percentage of adult smokers in the country has dropped from 32% to 28%, thanks to some of the strictest tobacco control measures ever adopted by the government of a developing country.
Food for the Soil: Rock Phosphate as Fertilizer 2001-09-07
If you're a subsistence farmer in sub-Saharan Africa, you probably don't have much extra money for fertilizer. But fertilizer is what you need to enrich the phosphate-poor tropical soil that you till. Yet dotted like geological islands in a dryland sea are places where inorganic phosphate may be mined from old rock deposits.
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